Body covering articles, such as vinyl gloves, are used in a variety of food service, general cleaning, handling, protection, non-medical, medical and hospital applications as a barrier layer to prevent or reduce contamination by microorganisms. Commercially available body covering articles, such as gloves, typically do not contain antimicrobial components or impart any antimicrobial properties. If the gloves contact a contaminated surface, the gloves can transfer the microorganisms to other surfaces contacted by the gloves (i.e., cross contamination).
Antimicrobial treated body coverings are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,361,786 to Shanbrom describes organic polymer based gloves impregnated by absorption with a disinfectant organic dye. U.S. Pat. No. 6,365,278 to Hoemer et al. describes multilayer materials comprising at least one continuous layer carrying a contact biocide inserted between inert barriers layers. In these antimicrobial products, the microbial contaminant must directly contact the biocide such that surfaces in close proximity to the biocide are not decontaminated. Also, these contact biocides may not control the microbe for hours or days, thus creating a window of vulnerability within which the microbe may be transmitted to unprotected surfaces via cross-contamination.
Triclosan (5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol) has been used as a contact biocide. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,998 B1 to Crook describes a multilayer pipe wrap for preventing microbiologically influenced corrosion in buried conduits. Triclosan is blended into a molten low density polyethylene (LDPE) resin from which an antimicrobial conduit contacting layer is formed. The triclosan layer is then formed into a laminate with a high density polyethylene (HDPE) layer sandwiched between said triclosan layer and a second LPDE layer that forms the outermost, or environment contacting layer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,495,158 B1 to Buseman et al. describes an acne treatment adhesive patch with a polymeric backing and comprising, among other constituents, a topical biocide such as triclosan absorbed into the backing.
A number of metal ions have been shown to possess antibiotic activity including silver, copper, zinc, mercury, tin, lead, bismuth, cadmium, chromium and thallium ions. Antibiotic ceramics have been prepared by replacing all or part of their ion-exchangeable ions with antibiotic metal ions. Suitable ceramics include zeolites, hydroxyapatite, zirconium phosphates. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,009,898; 5,296,238; 5,441,717; 5,405,664; 5,474,797; 4,011,898; 4,938,955; 4,906,464; and 4,775,585. U.S. Pat. No. 6,436,422 to Trogolo et al., which is incorporated by reference herein, discloses the incorporation of antibiotic ceramic particles in a hydrophilic polymer, such as polyurethane. Although the antibiotic polymers are reported as being effective biocides, they must be in intimate contact with the microbial contaminant to be effective.
Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) and sodium chlorite have been used as biocides in food packaging, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, binder and coatings. Wellinghoff et al. have formulated composites that include a hydrophobic phase containing an acid releasing agent and a hydrophilic phase containing anions which are capable of generating a gas, such as chlorite anions. The composite is substantially free of water until it is exposed to moisture. Once exposed to moisture, acid and hydronium ions are generated in the hydrophobic phase. The hydronium ions migrate to the hydrophilic phase and react with the anions to release the gas from the composite. These composites are composed of and generate only FDA approved substances or substances generally recognized as safe. The composites can be used for food packaging and other applications where the substances can be ingested by, or in contact with humans. These composites are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,650,446, 5,707,739, 5,631,300, 5,668,185, 5,695,814, 5,705,902, 5,888,528, and 6,046,243.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,609, Wellinghoff taught that alkali chlorites could be solubilized in hydrophilic matrices containing amides and/or polyhydroxy compounds and mixed with hydrophobic acid releasing phases containing organic acid anhydrides to form interpenetrating networks that will release chlorine dioxide upon exposure to moisture.
Wellinghoff et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,914,120 discloses a composite formulated for maximum chlorine dioxide release in which the hydrophilic material contains an alpha-amino ether, alcohol or ester and a chlorite salt formed by reaction of an iminium chlorite and a base. Iminium chlorite is unstable to nucleophilic attack by the chlorite anion. When the iminium chlorite is reacted with a base, however, the more stable alpha-amino ether, alcohol or ester and chlorite salt are formed.
Wellinghoff et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,295 describes a method for maximizing chlorine dioxide release from an amine-containing composite by omitting the chlorite source until the composite is applied to a surface. After application, the composite is exposed to chlorine dioxide gas that either reacts with the amine to form iminium chlorite in situ or dissolves in the amine to provide chlorite anions. The composite is then activated in the presence of moisture to release chlorine dioxide. The composite can be exposed to elevated temperatures during processing, storage and application because the hydrophilic material does not contain iminium chlorite or any chlorite anions that could decompose at such temperatures. The method also precludes premature release of chlorine dioxide from the composite.
Wellinghoff et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,408 describes powders prepared from an acid releasing agent and silicate particles containing anions capable of generating a gas upon exposure to moisture. Alternatively, the powder includes an interpenetrating network containing a solution solution, the anions, and the acid releasing agent. In another embodiment, the powder includes a solid solution containing a water-soluble silicate, the anions and an acid releasing agent.
Wellinghoff et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,264 describes a powder including a core containing a molecular sieve, and a layer containing an acid releading agent on an outer surface of the core. The core is capable of generating and releasing a gas after hydrolysis of the acid releasing agent.
Wellinghoff et al. WO 00/69775 describes a composition including an energy-activated catalyst capable of being activated by electromagnetic energy, and a solid or solids-containing suspension containing anions capable of being oxidized by the activated catalyst or reacted with species generated during activation of the catalyst to generate a gas.
Barenberg et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,826 describes numerous methods of using composites such as those disclosed by Wellinghoff et al. to retard bacterial, fungal, and viral contamination and growth of molds on food, produce, meat, and other materials and to deodorize carpeting and the like.
Khalil et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,691 teaches a microbial growth inhibiting latex composite containing chlorine dioxide or two or more chemical compounds which react upon mixing to generate chlorine dioxide, homopolymers and copolymers of acrylic acid, and an organic acid or a reducing agent. Use of such latexes as coatings and binders is disclosed.
Wellinghoff, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,776 discloses compositions containing an acid releasing polymer, a hydrophilic material and chlorite anions. The composition is optically transparent or translucent and is capable of releasing chlorine dioxide upon hydrolysis of the acid releasing polymer.
There is a need for biocidal articles which perform the same functions as conventional articles while also retarding, controlling, killing or preventing microbiological contamination of the skin or other surfaces and/or controlling odors while also controlling cross contamination. There is also a need for a decontamination method that does not require direct contact of the microbe with the article but rather provides an antimicrobial microatmosphere surrounding the article. There is also a need for such articles that are not susceptible to resistance to the anti-microbial, and that reduce microbial contamination in seconds or minutes to effectively inhibit cross-contamination.